#COOKING: PULLED JACKFRUIT SANDWICHES & KOREAN CUCUMBER SALAD RECIPE

Pulled Jackfruit Sandwiches & Korean Cucumber Salad. Summer’s here and this is a fun way to celebrate flavours of the season and we are doing it clean and meatless here. You’ve got crunch, chew, heat and cool all-in-one. If you’ve never had the pleasure of trying Jackfruit, you’re in for a treat. This beloved fleshy fruit of both South and Southeast Asia looks a bit like a Durian (without the stench), but is closer to the taste and texture of Pineapple. If you visit your Asian grocer now, you should be able to find it as it’s in peak season right now. Instead of pork, we’re doing this with Jackfruit but if you like you can even do this with Tofu.

Pulled Jackfruit:

2 1/2 cups of Jackfruit flesh, minced
1 Avocado, pitted and cut into 1″ slices
1/4 cup Barbecque Sauce
1/4 cup cashews, unsalted
2 tbsps Ketchup
1 tbsp Gochujang
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Maple Syrup
1 tbsp Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp Paprika
Sea salt and pepper

Water
Olive oil
Juice of one lime wedge
Hamburger Buns
Havarti or Cheddar Cheese Slices

Korean Cucumber Salad:

10-12 mini cucumbers or 1 large cucumber, cut into 3 mm-thick slices
3 tbsps rice vinegar
3 tbsps sesame oil
1 1/2 tbsps organic raw sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Fish Sauce (optional)
1 tbsp black or white sesame seeds, toasted
1 stalk green onion, minced
2 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper/Korean Red Pepper Powder
Sea salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. On medium-high heat, heat oil in skillet.
2. In bowl, season Jackfruit in salt, peppers, paprika, garlic and onion powders, brown sugar.
3. Place Jackfruit in skillet and brown for 4-5 minutes.
4. In small bowl, mix Barbecque Sauce, Ketchup, Gochujang, syrup and soy sauce.
5. Pour sauce and water (about 1/2 cup or more) into skillet and coat Jackfruit. Bring to boil.
6. Reduce heat to a simmer on medium-low heat, covered for about 20-30 minutes.
7. Remove lid and increase heat to medium-high. Allow mixture to thicken (4-5 minutes), stirring occasionally and scraping bits at bottom. Once thick, turn-off heat and remove from heat.
8. In large bowl, prepare Korean Cucumber Salad. Whisk rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, fish sauce, peppers and salt. Toss-in cucumber slices, garlic, sesame and green onion. Refrigerate sealed for up to 2 days.
9. Toast cashews, cradling in foil in toaster oven. Drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper over top and toast for a few minutes till slightly darkened.
10. Season avocado with lime juice, salt and pepper.
11. Toast hamburger buns slightly with cheese till melted.
12. Spoon Jackfruit mixture on top of bun with cheese. Place 2-3 avocado slices on-top. Sprinkle cashews as well. Plate with side of Korean Cucumber Salad. Serves 4.

Gallery:

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A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Jul 26, 2020 at 12:03pm PDT

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#COOKING: STEAK WITH GARLIC BUTTER & TATERS RECIPE

Steak with Garlic Butter & Taters. Simple is best sometimes and we’re serving you literal meat ‘n’ potatoes. Our Ninja Air Fryer takes something this basic and elevates it! These Taters are crisp and light, while the Steak is impossibly tender and juicy if you follow these steps.

Taters:
3 medium white potatoes, scrubbed and chopped into 1″-thick wedges
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon five spice powder
2 tablespoons baking powder
Sea salt and coarsely-ground black pepper

Drizzle of olive oil

Instructions:
1. Soak potatoes in salt water for 10 minutes.
2. Pat extremely-well with paper towels.
3. Toss wedges in drizzle of olive oil, spices, garlic and onion powders, salt, pepper and baking powder.
4. Heat Air Fryer at 400°F on Air Fryer mode. Pre-heat 3 minutes.
5. Fry for about 11-12 minutes, turning with tongs at the 8-minute mark. Fry in batches of 10 at a time.

Steak with Garlic Butter:
10 oz Rib Steak
Sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper
4 tbsps unsalted butter
1 tsp parsley, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 dashes Worcestershire Sauce

Drizzle of olive oil

Instructions:

1. In small bowl, whip garlic, parsley, Worcestershire Sauce and 1/8 tsp salt. Take parchment paper and roll into a log and refrigerate till firm.
2. Season steak in sea salt, paprika and pepper for at least an hour. Keep chilled and leave out at room temperature 30 minutes before cooking
3. Set Air Fryer at 400°F on Air Fryer mode.
4. Drizzle steak with a bit of olive oil and fry for no more than 8-9 minutes, no need to turn.
5. When ready to serve, slice garlic butter and garnish with a bit of parsley and accompany with Taters.

Gallery:

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(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#NEWMUSIC: TAYLOR SWIFT – “folklore”

Let’s face it, it’s been a shitty year. But it can only go up and Taylor Swift does exactly that with a surprise drop of her eighth studio Disc, folklore. The 16-track collection written at home during lockdown, is available for purchase now on her website with various different editions on CD and vinyl is a departure from her gorgeous foray to Pop over her last few Albums beginning with 1989. We get an understated Swift this time around choosing Folk and Indie-Pop leanings and an earthy, lo-fi aesthetic. Hence, a surprise release was the best way to go as a traditional release with a lead-up might have been a bit more divisive with a new sound.

folklore‘s purpose isn’t to churn-out “Summer Bangers”. Instead, Swift is further giving us the talent that made her a multi-Grammy-winning Singer/Songwriter, with a focus on clearing some of the thoughts in her busy mind and delivering us the mood that many of us are feeling right now being at home.

Swift enlists winning writing and producing collaborator Jack Antonoff once again and also entrusts heavily, The National guitarist Aaron Dessner as well. She goes full Folk–Indie-Pop featuring Bon Iver on track exile. The trend-bucking collection is cohesive, breaking new ground for sonically, while maintaining melodic and lyrical familiarity. Always a great storyteller, Swift explores a Love Triagle on the Disc with three songs told from each perspective on tracks cardigan, august and betty.

Check-out some of the Disc’s highlights below:

august

betty

cardigan

this is me trying

invisible string

folklore is available here now.

order below:

(Photo/video credit: Universal Music Group)

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “UTOPIA”

Author and Screenwriter Gillian Flynn has blown our mind with Gone Girl and Sharp Objects. She’s back with UTOPIA, unveiled today at COMIC-CON@HOME.

Synopsis:

Utopia centers on a group of comic fans who meet online and bond over their obsession of a seemingly fictional comic called, “Utopia.” Together, Ian (Dan Byrd), Becky (Ashleigh LaThrop), Samantha (Jessica Rothe), Wilson Wilson (Desmin Borges) and Grant (Javon “Wanna” Walton) unearth hidden meanings cloaked within the pages of “Utopia,” predicting threats to humanity. They realize these are not just the makings of a conspiracy; they are very real dangers coming alive right now in their world. The high-stakes adventure brings the group face-to-face with the comic’s famed central character, Jessica Hyde (Sasha Lane), who joins them on their mission to save the world while harboring secrets of her own. The series also stars John Cusack as Dr. Kevin Christie, Rainn Wilson as Dr. Michael Stearns, Farrah Mackenzie as Alice, Christopher Denham as Arby, and Cory Michael Smith as Thomas Christie.

See the Teaser Trailer:

All eight episodes of UTOPIA arrive on Amazon Prime Video this Fall.

(Photo/video credit: Amazon Prime Video)

Ashleigh LaThrop Comic-con Desmin Borges Gillian Flynn Javon Walton JESSICA Rothe john cusack Rainn Wilson Utopia

#FIRSTLOOK: “THE BOYS” SEASON THREE ORDERED AND AFTERSHOW “PRIME REWIND: THE BOYS” WITH AISHA TYLER ANNOUNCED AT COMIC-CON@HOME

The Boys are back! The Comic-Con@Home Panel for Toronto-made THE BOYS was held earlier today and there’s some big news for fans! A third season has been ordered for the Amazon Prime Video Series. Above this, Aisha Tyler has signed-on to host an Aftershow for the Series. Titled Prime Rewind: Inside The Boys, members of the cast, creative team and other special guests will join Tyler as they dissect the events that unfold in each episode.

Synopsis:

The even more intense, more insane Season 2 finds The Boys on the run from the law, hunted by the Supes, and desperately trying to regroup and fight back against Vought. In hiding, Hughie (Jack Quaid), Mother’s Milk (Laz Alonso), Frenchie (Tomer Capon) and Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) try to adjust to a new normal, with Butcher (Karl Urban) nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, Starlight (Erin Moriarty) must navigate her place in The Seven as Homelander (Antony Starr) sets his sights on taking complete control. His power is threatened with the addition of Stormfront (Aya Cash), a social media-savvy new Supe, who has an agenda of her own. On top of that, the Supervillain threat takes center stage and makes waves as Vought seeks to capitalize on the nation’s paranoia. The Supes of The Seven also include Queen Maeve (Dominique McElligott), A-Train (Jessie T. Usher), The Deep (Chace Crawford) and Black Noir (Nathan Mitchell).

Recurring stars in season two include Claudia Doumit, Goran Visnijc, Malcolm Barrett, Colby Minifie, Shantel VanSanten, Cameron Crovetti, PJ Byrne, Laila Robbins and Giancarlo Esposito returning as Vought boss Stan Edgar, among others.

See the Trailer for Season 2:

THE BOYS SEASON 2 streams on Amazon Prime Video Friday, September 4, 2020.

(Photo/video credit: Amazon Prime Video)

#FIRSTLOOK: COMIC-CON@HOME PANEL FOR “THE NEW MUTANTS”

The Comic-Con@Home Panel took place earlier today for long-awaited THE NEW MUTANTS with Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton, Alice Braga, Blu Hunt and Henry Zaga and graphic artist Bill Sienkiewicz. The Panel unveiled the Film’s opening sequence which is included below in this 30-minute video:

20th Century Studios Canada will release THE NEW MUTANTS, date to be confirmed.

(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Studios Canada)

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TEASER FOR “THE TRUTH SEEKERS” AT COMIC-CON@HOME

Starring Nick Frost, Malcolm McDowell, Samson Kayo, Susan Wokoma, Emma D’Arcy and Simon Pegg, Truth Seekers is a supernatural comedy drama series about a team of part-time paranormal investigators who team up to uncover and film ghost sightings across the UK, sharing their adventures on an online channel for all to see. The Series was unveiled at Comic-Con@Home.

Check-out this new Teaser!

TRUTH SEEKERS will stream on Amazon Prime Video, date TBD.

(Photo/video credit: Amazon Prime Now)

#TIFF20: FIRST ROUND OF ANNOUNCEMENTS

By Mr. Will Wong

So things will be a bit different this year amidst this pandemic. TIFF unveiled what this year’s Festival will look like and there will be physical screenings and drive-ins, digital screenings, virtual red carpets, press conferences and industry talks. The Festival is still slated to go September 10–19, 2020. Film Premieres will be downsized to 50 films only including the likes of:

–Ammonite, directed by Francis Lee (United Kingdom) – starring Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan

–Another Round, from director Thomas Vinterberg (Denmark) starring Mads Mikkelsen

–Bruised, the debut film from director Halle Berry (USA) – she also stars

–Concrete Cowboy by filmmaker Ricky Staub (USA) starring Idris Elba and Jharrel Jerome

–Fauna, from director Nicolás Pereda (Mexico/Canada) starring Geordy Skolnick and Sammy Mena

–Good Joe Bell by director Reinaldo Marcus Green (USA) starring Mark Wahlberg and Connie Britton

–Spring Blossom, the debut film by director Suzanne Lindon (France) starring Raymond Aquaviva

–True Mothers by director Naomi Kawase (Japan) starring Arata Iura

TIFF Ambassadors will be taking part in the Festival including Ava DuVernay, Taika Waititi, Anurag Kashyap, Nicole Kidman, Martin Scorsese, Nadine Labaki, Alfonso Cuarón, Tantoo Cardinal, Riz Ahmed, Rian Johnson, Jason Reitman, Isabelle Huppert, Claire Denis, Atom Egoyan, Priyanka Chopra, Viggo Mortensen, Zhang Ziyi, David Oyelowo, Lulu Wang, Rosamund Pike, Sarah Gadon, and Denis Villeneuve.

UPDATE 7.23.20

Also added to the list of Ambassadors are: Hiam Abbass, Haifaa Al-Mansour, Shamier Anderson, Darren Aronofsky, Olivier Assayas, Gael García Bernal, Derek Cianfrance, Mark Cousins, Julie Delpy, Barry Jenkins, Jia Zhang-ke, Barbara Kopple, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Brie Larson, Kasi Lemmons, Tatiana Maslany, Carey Mulligan, Genevieve Nnaji, Alanis Obomsawin, Natalie Portman, Zachary Quinto, Isabella Rossellini, Albert Serra, Wim Wenders, Olivia Wilde and Donnie Yen.

Derek Cianfrance (A Place Beyond the Pines, Blue Valentine), will lead a Dialogues session and actor and producer David Oyelowo will be a guest speaker as part of the TIFF Rising Stars programme.

It remains to be seen if talent physically will be in attendance this year.

The TIFF Tribute Awards, which honoured the likes of Meryl Streep and Joaquin Phoenix last year, also will be held once again this year. Kate Winslet wil receive the  TIFF Tribute Actor Award on September 15 in a virtual event.

TIFF Artistic Director and Co-Head Cameron Bailey says, “The pandemic has hit TIFF hard, but we’ve responded by going back to our original inspiration — to bring the very best in film to the broadest possible audience”.

More details to come. We appreciate so much the Festival still putting its best foot forward in trying times and you can bet our Team will still be there to deliver you coverage!

(Photo credit: Lionsgate Films)

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “BILL AND TED FACE THE MUSIC” | COMIC-CON@HOME PANEL

Check-out this brand-new Trailer for BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC! Also it has just been announced that COMIC-CON@HOME will host a BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC Panel moderated by Kevin Smith on Saturday, July 25 at 3 PM PST/6 PM EST. The panel will include Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, Samara Weaving, Bridgette Lundy-Paine and William Sadler, as well as director Dean Parisot and screenwriters Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon.

SYNOPSIS:

The stakes are higher than ever for the time-traveling exploits of William “Bill” S. Preston Esq. and Theodore “Ted” Logan. Yet to fulfill their rock and roll destiny, the now middle aged best friends set out on a new adventure when a visitor from the future warns them that only their song can save life as we know it. Along the way, they will be helped by their daughters, a new batch of historical figures, and a few music legends – to seek the song that will set their world right and bring harmony in the universe. Bill & Ted Face the Music is directed by Dean Parisot (Galaxy Quest), from a screenplay by Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon (Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey) – and produced by Scott Kroopf, Alex Lebovici and Steve Ponce.

See the new Trailer:

VVS Films release BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC in theatres and On-Demand Tuesday, September 1, 2020.

(Photo/video credit: VVS Films)

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW STILLS FROM”THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7″

If this doesn’t say Oscars allover it, I don’t know what does! Check-out these new stills from THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7, the sophomore directorial effort of Academy and Emmy Award winner Aaron Sorkin.

Synopsis:

What was intended to be a peaceful protest at the 1968 Democratic National Convention turned into a violent clash with police and the National Guard. The organizers of the protest—including Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden and Bobby Seale—were charged with conspiracy to incite a riot and the trial that followed was one of the most notorious in history.

Cast:
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Keaton, Frank Langella,John Carroll Lynch, Eddie Redmayne, Mark Rylance, Alex Sharp, Jeremy Strong, Noah Robbins, Danny Flahery, Ben Skenkman, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Caitlin Fitzgerald, Alice Kremelberg, John Doman, J.C. MacKenzie, Damien Young, Wayne Duvall, C.J. Wilson

THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 streams on Netflix Friday, October 16, 2020.

(Photo credit: Netflix)